1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a windhsield wiper blade and, more particularly to an improved apparatus, for retaining the wiping element assembled with the pressure-distributing superstructure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Since the basic invention of John W. Anderson of a wiper blade for wiping a curved or flat windshield, covered by U.S. Pat. No. 2,596,063, there have been a large number of proposals for making it simple and easy to assemble the articulated superstructure to the wiping element of the wiper blade. In particular there have been many proposals for retaining the superstructure assembled with the backing member of the wiping element by the use of end clips which interact between the backing strip of the wiping element and the end of the superstructure for holding the two in assembled relationship while still permitting the requisite relative movement between the superstructure and the wiping element to properly wipe the windshield.
These prior end clips generally engage with the backing strip and fit over or around the claws on the outboard end of the superstructure. The principal disadvantage of the prior end clips was that they frequently became separated from the backing strip and became lost prior to use and therefore rendered the wiping element useless on a superstructure without some means for attaching the two together. Some of the other disadvantages of the prior end clips had to do with the cost involved in making and forming the end clip and in assembling the clip with the backing strip and also in making the clip functional and operative enough to serve to hold the many different varieties of superstructures on the wiping element.
Recently, there has been introduced on the market, wiper elements that include plastic backing members of different shapes and configurations. One such backing member is shown, described and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,820,188 to John Moorhead and Donald Stratton and assigned to The Anderson Company of Gary, Ind. A clip is provided for use with the structure of the 3,820,188 patent which engages in a slot in the side of the backing strip and bridges from side-to-side of the backing strip to engage around and to secure the claws on the end portion of the articulated superstructure to hold the superstructure assembled with the wiping element. Although the end clip for use with the structure of the 3,820,188 patent functioned and operated completely, successfully, there have been occasions where the clip became lost, once again, rendering the refill wiping element useless until a replacement could be supplied. Since the refill wiping element is generally stocked in gas stations and the like, it is not uncommon for the various personnel in the station to handle the boxes and the refill elements often causing the end clips to become separated from the wiping element and to become lost.